One of Africa’s most ambitious leopard research efforts is revealing critical insights that could shape the species’ future

The Safari Club International Foundation’s African Leopard Research Project is entering an exciting new phase by expanding fieldwork into South Africa following the successful completion of its groundbreaking national leopard survey in Botswana.

Over the past three years, SCIF’s research team conducted one of the most comprehensive leopard surveys ever undertaken, deploying more than 1,000 camera-trap stations across approximately 12,000 km². With 1,424 leopard detections which resulted in 427 individual leopards identified, this SCIF project is providing the first robust, science-based estimates of leopard populations across multiple land-uses in Botswana.

These findings are already informing conservation policy. The data have helped the Botswana Department of Wildlife and National Parks develop a 10-year Leopard Management Plan submitted to CITES in support of the country’s leopard export quota, demonstrating how rigorous science can guide sustainable wildlife management.

Building on this success, the project is now expanding into South Africa through a partnership with the PHASA Foundation. Together, SCIF and its partners will continue generating the reliable population data needed to support evidence-based conservation, sustainable use, and the long-term future of one of Africa’s most iconic predators.

Watch how this pioneering research is helping shape the future of leopard conservation across southern Africa. Watch: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=v8cyatusQ-E

Today, Safari Club International (“SCI”) and its litigation partners asked the Los Angeles County Superior Court to block any shooting of mule deer on Santa Catalina Island while their challenge to the legality of the deer-eradication plan proceeds. SCI’s involvement in this case is supported by the non-profit SCI Center for Conservation Law and Education.

Earlier this year, the California Department of Fish and Wildlife bypassed full environmental review and approved a permit for the Catalina Island Conservancy to implement the Catalina Island Restoration Project, a multi-phase effort that purports to use deer eradication and habitat manipulation to restore “native” species to the island.

The project is scheduled to begin baiting and shooting deer in September 2026. Accordingly, SCI and its partners have requested the Court preserve the status quo before irreversible action begins. Read more

New video gives inside look at a landmark bear study

A new video by the Arizona Game and Fish Department (AZGFD) is giving viewers a behind-the-scenes look at how researchers are gathering data about Arizona’s black bear population. The research is a part of a statewide study that will help the department make appropriate management decisions using the best available science.

The video follows a team of AZGFD biologists conducting one of dozens of den checks for the study– a carefully choreographed process of sedating and temporarily removing a black bear from its den to gather biological samples and check the fit of its radio tracking collar. Read more

In the early morning of July 24, an adult male was attacked by a bear while jogging with his dog along the Aspen Loop Trail at Henrys Lake State Park.

The man sustained injuries, but was able to walk out on his own. The dog was uninjured and followed him out safely. At around 8:00 a.m., the individual was transported by ambulance to Madison Memorial Hospital in Rexburg to be treated for his injuries.

Idaho Fish and Game, along with Fremont County Deputies, quickly secured the scene to begin an investigation of the incident. A sweep of the trail system at Henrys Lake State Park and adjacent area was conducted from both the ground and air, thanks to the use of the Sherriff’s Office drone. The site where the attack occurred was discovered, but no bears were found in the area.

Due to the surprise nature of the attack, and no sign of bears in the area, no further actions are being taken at this time. Read more

Mile-a-minute weed, a highly invasive vine that can smother trees and vegetation, has been confirmed in Jackson County following a landowner’s report to the Michigan Invasive Species Program through the Midwest Invasive Species Information Network’s online reporting system.

After consultation with the United States Fish and Wildlife Service, the Wyoming Game and Fish Department captured and relocated an adult, female grizzly bear July 17.

The grizzly bear was captured for cattle depredation on public land in Sublette County. In cooperation with the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service and the Shoshone National Forest, the grizzly bear was relocated to the Five Mile Creek drainage approximately 5 miles from the east entrance of Yellowstone National Park.

Grizzly bears are relocated in accordance with state and federal law and regulation, and Game and Fish is required to update the public whenever a grizzly bear is relocated.

WHY RELOCATION?

Grizzly bear relocation is a management tool large carnivore biologists use to minimize conflicts between humans and grizzly bears. Bears that are considered a threat to human safety are not relocated. In some cases, a bear may be removed from the population if it cannot be relocated successfully.

Capture is necessary when other deterrents or preventative options are exhausted or unattainable. Once the animal is captured, all circumstances are taken into account when determining if the individual should be relocated. If relocation is warranted, a site is determined by considering the age, sex and type of conflict the bear was involved in as well as potential human activity nearby.

Grizzly bears are only relocated into the recovery zone or adjacent areas. With any relocation, Game and Fish consults with appropriate agencies to minimize the chance of future conflicts and maximize the relocated grizzly bear’s survival.

HOW THE PUBLIC CAN HELP

Game and Fish continues to stress the importance of the public’s responsibility in bear management and the importance of keeping all attractants such as food, garbage, horse feed and bird seed unavailable to bears. Reducing attractants available to bears reduces human-bear conflicts, and in some cases, relocations.

For more information on grizzly bear management and reducing the potential for conflicts, visit the Bear Wise Wyoming webpage.

Idaho Fish and Game euthanized a food?conditioned black bear after it broke into a Swan Valley home and received multiple human-food rewards.

On the night of July 12, a male black bear entered an occupied residence by tearing through a window screen while the homeowners inside slept. Upon gaining entry, the bear ransacked the kitchen and ate a pumpkin pie from the table. Fortunately, in this instance, the residents were unharmed and only became aware of the break?in when they discovered the damage the following morning.

The bear also returned to the property the following night, where it knocked over a garbage can and again obtained a food reward from the unsecured household garbage.

Based on the bear’s entry into a human?occupied structure, Idaho Fish and Game personnel set a trap to capture the offending bear. The capture effort was successful, and the bear was humanely dispatched in accordance with agency policy for bears that pose a clear risk to human safety. Read more

New Custom Content Promises Gear Insights To Go Farther, Climb Higher and Explore More

Head for the backcountry with Outdoor Sportsman Group’s all-new “Hiking Guide” video series presented by Streamlight, and in cooperation with the GAME & FISH brand. Available now to watch exclusively on GAME & FISH, the GAME & FISH TV FAST (Free Ad-Supported Streaming Television) channel, and streaming on MyOutdoorTV, this 3-part, long-form video series with accompanying multimedia content gives viewers an in-depth look at the skills and gear they need to make the most of their time on the trail, whether they’re circling the camping ground’s lake, traversing the Continental Divide, or striking out cross-country in search of the next breathtaking vista. Read more

PERC and RMEF proudly support the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service’s rescission of the Endangered Species Act’s ‘blanket’ 4(d) rule

A policy recommendation long championed by the Property and Environment Research Center (PERC) and Rocky Mountain Elk Foundation (RMEF) was officially implemented by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service. USFWS has rescinded the use of the blanket 4(d) rule under the Endangered Species Act, a critical step toward more effective, incentive-driven species recovery.

“For too long, the blanket rule treated threatened species the same as endangered ones, dulling incentives for recovery,” said Jonathan Wood, PERC vice president of law and policy. “By restoring a tailored approach, the Service can better reward progress and encourage proactive conservation.”

PERC and RMEF have long argued that recovering species requires stronger incentives for habitat restoration and stewardship. Under a one-size-fits-all framework, states and landowners—whom these imperiled species rely on—have little reason to invest in improvements if regulatory burdens remain the same regardless of a species’ status.

The two organizations filed a joint lawsuit in 2024 against the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, arguing the agency’s use of the blanket rule impaired species recovery and ignored science. Additionally, they filed a public comment in 2025 supporting the proposed rescission of the blanket rule.

A more flexible approach allows for a “roadmap to recovery,” where incremental progress is met with regulatory relief. This structure empowers local partners, rewards conservation success, and ultimately accelerates species recovery.

“Smart policy should recognize improvement,” said Blake Henning, RMEF chief conservation officer. “Aligning regulations with a species’ status is a commonsense way to motivate the very actions that lead to recovery.” Read more